The sound liberal arts education includes study in the humanities, the natural sciences and the social sciences. To prepare its students adequately in the liberal arts, then, Hillsdale College asks that they fulfill certain academic requirements in these areas. 

There are seven specific courses which every Hillsdale student must take: Physical Science, Biological Science, Freshman Rhetoric and the Great Books I, Freshman Rhetoric and the Great Books II, The Western Heritage to 1600, The American Heritage and The U.S. Constitution: An Introductory Course.  In addition, a student will be taking at least one course from each group in the humanities, one in the social sciences, one Center for Constructive Alternatives seminar during his first two years and one during his last two years and two semesters of physical activities classes.  Within these broad requirements, however, students are free to choose courses that correspond to their interests and abilities. 

Also during the first two years, the student pursuing the bachelor of arts degree will meet a requirement in foreign language. The bachelor of science degree candidate will place a heavy emphasis on laboratory science and mathematics courses. 

The courses below represent core curriculum requirements and options.  Generally, these requirements are fulfilled during the freshman and sophomore years.

The Humanities

ENGLISH Required in the freshman year:
101 Freshman Rhetoric and the Great Books I
102 Freshman Rhetoric and the Great Books II

Students choose three courses, one from each of the following three groups:

GROUP I:  LITERATURE/CLASSICAL STUDIES
ENG 310 Anglo-Saxon and Medieval British Literature: 600-1500
ENG 320 Renaissance British Literature: 1500-1660
ENG 330 Restoration and Romantic British Literature: 1660-1830
ENG 340 Victorian and Modern British Literature: 1830-present
ENG 350 Colonial and Early American Literature: 1620-1820
ENG 360 Romanticism, American Renaissance and Realism: 1820-1890
ENG 370 Naturalism and Modernism: 1890-present
CLS 301 Greek Civilization
CLS 302 Roman Civilization
CLS 310 Greek Mythology
Literature courses (numbered 400) taught in the Departments of French, German and Spanish

GROUP II:  FINE ARTS (Art, Music, Theatre and Speech)
ART 203 History of Art:  Prehistoric through Medieval
ART 204 History of Art:  Renaissance through Modern
MUS 204 The Understanding of Music
MUS 322 History and Literature of Music I
MUS 323 History and Literature of Music II
THE 200 Understanding Theatre

GROUP III:  PHILOSOPHY/RELIGION
PHL 105 Introduction to Philosophy
REL 105 Introduction to Western Religion

The Natural Sciences and Mathematics

MATHEMATICS COMPETENCY Required
ACT mathematics score of 24 or higher or SAT mathematics score of 570 or higher
or
MTH 105 (Mathematics and Deductive Reasoning) or higher mathematics course

CHEMISTRY/PHYSICS
101 Physical Science

BIOLOGY
102 Biological Science

The Social Sciences

HISTORY Required in the freshman year:
104 The Western Heritage to 1600
105 The American Heritage

POLITICS  Required of all students. Strongly recommended to be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
101 The U.S. Constitution: An Introductory Course

Students choose one course from the following:
ECONOMICS
105 Introduction to Political Economy
202 Principles of Microeconomics

PSYCHOLOGY
101 Introduction to Psychology

SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL THOUGHT
101 Understanding Society and Culture